The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Content Creation

Introduction

Among the tools available to student-athletes to capitalize on NIL, social media has emerged as a cornerstone for NIL success. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are the key to building a marketable personal brand and securing brand deals.

In this week's NIL/edu, I'm exploring how student-athletes can maximize NIL success through strategic social media content creation.

Why Social Media Matters for NIL Success

Visibility and Engagement Drive NIL Opportunities

Social media bridges the gap between student-athletes and brands, both small and large. According to my most recent NIL Research Poll, Nearly 85% of NIL deals are student-athletes developing content and performing the role of social media influencers. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram allow athletes to connect with fans, showcase their personalities, and promote brands.

Brands Prioritize Social Media Metrics

Brands prioritize metrics like engagement rates and follower demographics when selecting athletes for NIL partnerships. Student-Athletes are often able to earn more per follower due to their ability to drive higher engagement.

Recommended New Tool: Blotato

NIL social media success for student-athletes will happen (or not!) in large part based on their ability to build an audience. And building an audience is a result of content creation. We all know how busy student-athletes are and I've recently stumbled upon a perfect tool for them called Blotato, founded by Sabrina Romanov.  Blotato remixes posts, Youtube videos, podcasts, articles, and anything else student-athletes want to add in and creates multiple social media posts (and schedules and publishes it in one click.) 

Building a Personal Brand on Social Media

Define a Niche

Student-Athletes succeed when they identify a niche that reflects their personality, interests, and strengths. Whether it’s mental wellness tips, behind-the-scenes training routines, or lifestyle content, student-athletes who define a niche beyond their sport are 12x more likely to secure an NIL partnership.

Optimize Profile

Ensure professional profile pictures, cohesive bios, and consistent usernames across platforms. A polished profile tells brands a student-athlete is serious about NIL.

Examples: Successful Personal Branding

• Paige Bueckers (Basketball): Known for her authenticity and community engagement.

• Suni Lee (Gymnastics): Shares her journey as an Olympian, blending athletic achievements with relatable content.

Creating Engaging Content

Focus on Quality

High-quality content is essential for capturing the attention of both fans and potential sponsors. Student-athletes should aim to create visually appealing posts that tell a story or convey a strong message. This means using natural lighting, clean backgrounds, and ensuring content is well-composed. High-quality visuals are more likely to get likes, shares, and comments, which all help improve an athlete's visibility and influence.

Apps like Adobe Lightroom or Canva can be valuable tools for enhancing photos and videos, making sure they look professional and stand out.

Types of Content That Perform Well

Game Highlights: Sharing game highlights is one of the most effective ways for student-athletes to gain traction, provided they comply with school policy and media rights restrictions.

Fans love seeing the best moments of a game, and these posts often lead to increased engagement. Game highlights also serve as an opportunity to showcase an athlete’s skill set directly to potential sponsors.

It's important, though, to ensure that any footage shared doesn’t infringe upon media rights agreements or NIL compliance rules.

Behind-the-Scenes Content: Fans want more than just highlights—they want to know what an athlete’s life is like off the field or court. Behind-the-scenes content, such as training routines, day-in-the-life posts, or even personal hobbies, helps build a deeper connection with followers.

It allows audiences to see the athlete beyond their sport, which can make them more relatable and engaging.

Interactive Posts: Interactive content is another powerful way to build engagement. Live streams, Q&A sessions, polls, and challenges not only entertain followers but also give them a sense of participation.

For example, doing a live workout or a Q&A on Instagram where followers can ask questions about training or personal interests makes fans feel directly involved, fostering connection.

Understanding Engagement Rates by Content Type

Data consistently shows that videos outperform static images when it comes to social media engagement.

Videos generate 38% higher engagement than static posts, which means that investing the time in creating high-quality video content can significantly boost an athlete's visibility.

Adding captions with calls-to-action (such as “Comment below!” or “Share your thoughts!”) can boost interaction by an additional 20%.

Engagement is key for securing NIL opportunities, as brands look for athletes who can generate conversations around their products or services.

Growing and Managing an Audience

Organic Growth Strategies

1. Hashtags and Geotags: Using sport-specific hashtags and geotags helps improve discoverability. By tagging relevant terms, student-athletes can reach new audiences who are interested in similar content. This method is especially effective when paired with trending hashtags or events, such as major games or tournaments.

2. Collaborations: Collaborating with other athletes, brands, or even influencers from different fields can broaden an athlete’s reach. These partnerships can include co-hosting live streams, joint giveaways, or appearing in each other’s posts. Such collaborations expose both parties to each other’s followers, helping grow audiences organically.

3. Consistency: One of the most overlooked but vital parts of growing an audience is consistent posting. Athletes who post regularly are more likely to stay top of mind with their followers. Whether it’s daily, bi-weekly, or weekly content, staying consistent builds reliability and encourages more followers.

Engaging with Followers

Engaging directly with followers is crucial for maintaining a strong connection with them. Whether it’s replying to comments, responding to direct messages, or even acknowledging new followers in posts, interaction builds loyalty.

Fans appreciate personal touches, and sponsors pay attention to engagement levels. An athlete with 10,000 followers but high engagement will be more attractive to brands than one with 20,000 followers who rarely interacts with their audience.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Overposting Promotions: Audiences dislike overly promotional content. Balance branded posts with organic, relatable content to maintain trust.

Neglecting Engagement: Posting without interacting with your audience results in stagnant growth

FAQ Section

1. Why is social media important for NIL success?
Social media increases visibility, builds engagement, and attracts brands looking for athletes with a strong online presence.

2. Which platforms are best for student-athletes?
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are top platforms due to their visual focus and high engagement rates.

3. How can I grow my social media following as a student-athlete?
Post consistently, engage with your audience, and use hashtags strategically.

4. What types of content perform best for NIL opportunities?
Game highlights, training routines, lifestyle content, and interactive posts resonate most with audiences and brands.

5. How do I approach brands for NIL deals?
Create a media kit showcasing your value. My NIL Quickstart course includes direction and a Workbook with templates.

6. What are common mistakes to avoid in NIL social media marketing?
Avoid neglecting compliance, overposting promotions, and failing to engage with followers.

Conclusion

Social media is a powerful tool for student-athletes to succeed in the NIL era. By building a strong personal brand, creating engaging content, and actively engaging with followers, athletes can maximize their NIL opportunities.

About Bill Carter

Bill has advised brands on Name, Image, Likeness for 25 years—first in pro sports, now at the college level. He was the Co-Founder of the Gen Z sports agency Fuse, which he sold in 2019. In 2020, he founded Student-Athlete Insights and consults on NIL strategy with Fortune 500 companies and 30+ DI universities. Read more about Student-Athlete Insights.